........................................................................................................................................................................................

handout

LAS CRUCES New Mexico State University held an open house reception Thursday at the Fulton Center to discuss plans for the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine. Construction began last month on the $105 million private medical school, located at Arrowhead Research Park on the campus of New Mexico State University. The 80,000-square-foot medical college will be the first in Las Cruces, and only the second medical school in the state. It will also be the states only school devoted to osteopathy.

Burrell College will be a freestanding, privately funded, separately licensed and independently operated entity. No taxpayer dollars will go toward its construction or operation.

Dr. George Mychaskiw, an Orlando-based pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist who will be BCOMs dean, said he believes the school will begin student applications in May, pending provisional accreditation. The accrediting board will be in town in a couple of weeks for a site inspection, and hes hopeful that the college will receive provisional accreditation sometime in April.

Mychaskiw told the crowd, comprised mostly members of the local medical community, that he expects the college to have a profound impact on the local medical scene.

Were looking at greatly increasing the number of physicians in the area, Mychaskiw said. Were going to graduate 150 doctors a year, every year, many of whom will stay in the Borderplex region. Over time, we hope for an increase in the number of physicians, and a gradual change in demographics of the physician workforce. We hope to see more physicians that look like the local community more Hispanic, Native American and female physicians.

Between 500 and 600 students are expected to visit Las Cruces to interview for the colleges first 150 positions. Mychaskiw said thats only the beginning of the impact that the college will have on the local economy.

Weve had outside consultants do economic impact studies. Were looking at adding 300 new jobs to the community, and $80 million in positive economic impact per year, said Mychaskiw.

Robert Ketchum, the colleges associate dean of academic affairs and preclinical education, said that the long-term economic impact will be profound.

Go here to see the original:

Las Cruces medical school touts plans during reception